Corey Perrine/Staff
A Romney supporter shows his true feelings about the president Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 at Pier Park in St. Petersburg, Fla. Romney, Republican nominee for the U.S. presidency, continued his tour of swing states in a tight race toward Nov. 6, Election Day.

ST. PETERSBURG _ Riding high on a post-debate buzz, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney bashed Democratic policies and told Tampa Bay residents Friday that he would do whatever it takes to keep the country strong for future generations.

"This is a great nation. This is a great people, and we face extraordinary challenges in this great country," Romney said during a rally at Pier Park in downtown St. Petersburg. "I am going to do everything in my power to keep America strong."

Romney was in St. Petersburg for the first stop in a three-day swing through Florida. The former Massachusetts governor spent much of his nearly 20-minute speech Friday talking about his economic policies, and how they differ from President Barack Obama's.

"We do not want, and we cannot afford, four more years like the last four years," he said. "The American people are having a hard time right now. Participation of adults in the workforce is the same as when he got elected. People are having a hard time finding a job. I will create … jobs and rising incomes."

Romney said he would do that by championing small businesses, opening up trade and fixing the nation's schools. Romney also said he plans to take advantage of the country's energy resources, like coal and gas, which ultimately would lower gas prices and create more jobs.

But Romney's decision to hit the current administration on the economy came just as a new jobs report was released Friday. The nation's jobless rate dropped last month to the lowest levels since 2009, below 8 percent, and a spokeswoman for the Obama campaign said Romney's decision to gloss over the news Friday was a "very telling omission."

"Americans want to move forward, not back," said Liz Smith, a spokeswoman for the Obama campaign.

Romney said the president had an opportunity to explain his jobs program to Americans earlier this week. But that explanation fell flat, Romney said.

"Did you hear what he had to say? I didn't either," he said. "I kept looking for a specific — what was he going to do to create jobs, but I just heard more of the same."

Friday's stop came just two days after Romney and Obama met head-to-head in the first debate of the general election cycle.

Romney was declared the victor by most pundits' accounts, and Tampa Bay residents said his performance at the debate – paired with his speech Friday evening – prove he is the best man for the job.

Kinzie said Romney's performance Friday evening went as well, if not better, than his debate performance Wednesday. The 43-year-old Tampa Bay resident said he's a staunch supporter of Romney, particularly because of his support of small businesses.

Kinzie owned a small business in the Tampa Bay area for more than a decade, but said he was forced to close it about four years ago.

Kinzie said he needed to lay off five employees, and he's still out of work. He's hopeful that will change if Romney takes office.

"I think his character is really strong," Kinzie said.

Chuck Aitman, a Tampa Bay business owner, agreed. The 61-year-old Romney supporter said he was pleased with Romney and thought he excelled during his St. Petersburg event.

"It was good," he said. "It was kind of like the debate."

That was likely the goal. The campaign trotted out speaker after speaker to laud Romney for his performance this week, even saying they knew he was doing well when "liberal commentators" started slamming the president.

"All over, there was so much pride, so much optimism," said state Rep. Dana Young, R-Tampa. "We are about to get off this dead-end street."

Young said polls are one thing, but the enthusiasm and excitement for the candidate is what is more important.

Floridians could be the difference between a Romney administration or four more years of Obama, Young said.

"If you still believe, like I do, that there is a chance for a brighter America; if you believe that the America people want real work; and if you believe we need to maintain the strength of the military, there's just one answer," she said. "If you believe in America, the answer is Romney."

Romney will spend the rest of the weekend in Florida, a telling sign for how important the state is to the election.

Some experts have said he needs Florida – and its 29 electoral votes – in order to win the election.